Samantha Masunaga

Writer

Samantha Masunaga covers aerospace for the Los Angeles Times. Since joining The Times in 2014, she has covered local and national breaking news, the craft beer industry and Southern California’s Japanese American community. Masunaga has previously worked for the Oregonian, the Orange County Register and the Rafu Shimpo, among other publications. A Southern California native, she is an alumna of the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism and UCLA.

Recent Articles

With seating for up to 800 passengers between two decks, Airbus’ A380 super-jumbo jet was envisioned in 2000 as a flagship aircraft for the European company, offering a luxurious experience for long-distance flights. But over time, smaller twin-engine planes became more fuel efficient and started...

NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley kept their eyes on the touch screens in front of them in the SpaceX Crew Dragon training vehicle as the capsule neared the International Space Station in a training simulation at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne on Wednesday. But just as it will be when...

Boeing’s popular 737 Max aircraft and one of its flight control systems are now in the spotlight after the aircraft suddenly plunged into the sea last month, killing all 189 people aboard the Lion Air flight. Investigators are still trying to figure out why the Boeing 737 Max 8 plane crashed just...

The already small roster of Fortune 500 companies led by women will shrink even further after PepsiCo Inc. Chief Executive Indra Nooyi steps down from her role this year. But in one sector that has been male-dominated, gender balance seems to be moving in the opposite direction. By next year, three...

U.S. astronauts face a longer wait before American-made crew capsules are ready to transport them to the International Space Station. The first flights of the two capsules, one being developed by Boeing Co. and the other by SpaceX under NASA contracts, have been delayed again, according to a flight...

A British cave diver involved in the rescue of 12 Thai soccer players and their coach said he would consider taking legal action against Elon Musk after the Tesla Inc. and SpaceX chief executive suggested on Twitter that the diver was a pedophile. On Monday, Vernon Unsworth told the Guardian that...

President Trump’s tweet Tuesday morning that Harley-Davidson would be “taxed like never before” puts the Milwaukee motorcycle maker in a growing club of U.S. companies that have been singled out for criticism by the president. Trump’s sentiments on Harley-Davidson come a day after the company said...

With its history of clashing with regulators and its autonomous car fleet grounded over a pedestrian death, Uber might seem the least likely candidate to launch a flying taxi service. But Uber Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi said Wednesday that he is “reasonably confident” demonstration flights...